When two forces of nature collide, watch out. I am speaking both of my recent reunion with a dear old pal and the food and the wine pairing we so thoroughly annihilated. Imagine this: Fresh, wood-fired pizza bubbling with aged blue cheese and topped with salty, thin strips of prosciutto. Pair those intense flavors with Cypher Winery’s 2012 ZinBitch—fruity, spicy, and velvety all over—for maximum impact. Emboldened by our lunch, we spent about an hour feasting, tasting, and laughing hysterically at that YouTube video where grandmothers smoke weed. What can I say? Give the ladies an inch of ZinBitch and they’ll take a mile.
• Cypher Winery's 2012 ZinBitch—About $10 for a taste of six wines; 3750 Highway 46 West, Paso Robles.
Pie season is over for this lady (did I mention that a very bad dog ate a gingersnap pumpkin pie I created specifically for Thanksgiving dinner?). But that’s OK: I can still pop open a bottle of fresh-from-the-windowsill 2012 Humble Pie Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon. BNA Wine Group, owned by a trio with roots that stretch from California to Tennessee, is home to five labels and many acres of diverse vineyards. The grapes for their addicting 2012 Humble Pie Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon are sourced from four vineyards in the region, including the Hames Valley, known as one of the warmest growing areas, and the San Lucas appellation, known for its dramatic temperature swings. Anchored by notes of black currant, cherry, and vanilla, this balanced pick is perfect as a stand-alone sipper or with meaty winter dishes. And you can rest assured the dog won’t want anything to do with it.
• BNA Wine Group’s 2012 Humble Pie Central Coast Cab—About $12 a bottle; bnawinegroup.com.
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